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yes i have been .. the new lodge preseasoned surface is very rough almost porous in texture,. i sanded one for a friend and was seasoning it and kept getting little bubbles of steam coming out of the cast iron.not happy with the new stuff which i think is made in china? . i sanded all my new stuff and a few guys on the bge forum are doing so as well .

Lodge are still made in the US (their enameled ware is not). The pebbly texture is from the manufacturing process . I would think sanding would exceed my patience level but certainly can be done. I've not had any issues with my Lodge pans though as is

Lodge are still made in the US (their enameled ware is not). The pebbly texture is from the manufacturing process . I would think sanding would exceed my patience level but certainly can be done. I've not had any issues with my Lodge pans though as is

AJ

i have no issues with my old lodge but the new preseasoned surface is ? bubbley looking like plasma sprayed ? not a machined surface like the old stuff. sanding was easy with a random orbit sander, it took longer to re-season it..
and while i am that subject. i got a de buyer 12" mineral fry pan for Christmas ... had no lard so i seasoned it with duck fat!

I can't remember the dates if manufacturing change. I want to say the pre seasoning began around 2000 give or take a year. I know I bought one of the last unseasoned pans. Prior to seasoning, the pans are tumbled together and then again in a bed of river rock. It's this part of the process that results in the pebbly finish. Before that Chang in process, castings were shot blasted. I think the change from blasting to tumbling was in the mid 90s.

I contacted Lodge and was told that they stopped the machining/smoothing process. The machining is just too expensive to sell the pans at a reasonable price. . She said they would cost twice as much. For whatever that's worth. That said, I have one 8" skillet, bought within the last couple years. It has the pebbled finish and works just fine. Admittedly, I only use it for cornbread. I mix up a box of that quick cornbread, preheat a little oil in the oven, pour in the cornbread. It comes out of the pan slick as can be, without even running a knife around the edge. Barely leaves a crumb in the pan. That's everything I know about Lodge pans. ;-)

Lodge are still a quality pan. I got a 12" one, 3 years ago, from my wife and it's a solid and very nice piece to use. Sanding it down will defintely improve performance, but if you aren't using it for eggs isn't a necessity. I look at it in the same vein rounding the spine and choil on a well priced knife with great performance, but less than stellar f and f. It doesn't take that long and will make using it that much nicer. Not necessary, but definitely worth the little effort to take a very good piece and make it great.

Sanding it down will defintely improve performance, but if you aren't using it for eggs isn't a necessity..... Not necessary, but definitely worth the little effort to take a very good piece and make it great.

Just for fun, since I was curious, and needed a little late lunch anyhow, I used my 8" Lodge cornbread pan and tried it with a couple of eggs, for a sandwich. Used a half teaspoon of butter and two eggs. They came out of that pan beautifully, without a trace of sticking. I found it just fine with no sanding. So much for the criticism of that pebbled finish.